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What can one expect?

May 12, 2015 Editorial

The firing of the Minister of Health, Bheri Ramsaran on the eve of the election for his ‘slap and strip’ remarks against Rights Activists, Ms. Sherlinga Nageer, has served to shift the population’s gaze, with more intensity than ever, onto the APNU+AFC Coalition. It would seem that barring unexpected developments of massive proportions, the Coalition is likely to win the general election on May 11. That is the prediction of the Coalition’s Presidential Candidate, David Granger. Is he right? I personally believe so.
But the key question to be asked is, what is there in the current configuration and operation of the Coalition to suggest that if it wins this election it is going to be any different from the PPP government. What makes the Coalition and its leader different?
Given the character and background of David Granger, the answer would lie in his personality and leadership style. As far as the coalition itself is concerned, it is different from the PPP in structure, type of leadership and philosophy. It comprises six parties.
As far as the people are concerned, what they need to note is the tone of the vicious vituperation and personal attacks in which the campaign was conducted. Whatever one might have thought of David Granger, the fact is, he is a decent man with strong leadership and organizational skills and therefore, will lead the coalition to victory and become the next president of Guyana. But because of his military background, he has been branded by his opponents as someone who should be feared. But the fact is, David Granger is not the only military leader to enter politics or to seek high office, more than half of all U.S Presidents had some sort of military background either from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Militia or the National Guard. So for anyone to be critical of David Granger’s military backgroundis not only insulting to the armed forces, but is to court disaster as his opponents will find out after the elections.
The point here is simple. If this is how the incumbentexecutive conducted their campaign, what is there to suggest that they would govern in any way differently? Of course, it could be argued that the way the 2015 election campaign was conducted demonstrated the abnormal vulgarity and absurdity of campaigning in this country.
During the campaign, every weapon including personal attacks and character assassination were used to destroy the character of David Granger and in the process destroy his electability. But to use one’s ethnicity or tribe to gain votes is poor leadership and politics at its worse. And I would respond “exactly.”
Now let me be fair and objective. Most of the issues raised against David Granger in the campaign are not new. What is new to the voters are the false accusations against him as a leader who will send ex-soldiers to kick down the doors of East Indians if the Coalition wins the election.
However, such fabrications and distortion of the truth will not stick with most of the electorate because they know that there is no one in the current administration who is as honest, decent and honourable as David Granger.
Further, no one should believe that the political culture of the country would change if the incumbent party is re-elected. For this to happen, it first must begin by changing its own political culture. If that party did not operate differently as a party from how it has always done, it would be foolish for anyone to expect anything different from it as a government. Just as how a tiger cannot change its stripes, so too, a human being cannot change his/her essential character!
A government of the people, by the people, for the people is truly needed to unite the races and move the country forward. Will there be one?

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